Combined yardstick and computing device.



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W. E. HOSCH.

COMBINED YARDSTICK AND COMPUTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-7. I9I3.

' Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W. E. HOSCH.

COMBINED YARDSTICK AND COMPUTING DEVICE.

l Patented Feb. 6,

APPLICATION FILED AUGJ. ISII3-l 1,214,789. 1917- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 /f f f//////V/////////7/////////////` WALTER E. HOSCH; OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURL.

COMBINED YARDs'rroK AND COMPUTING Device.

Application filed August 7, 1913.

Tol all whom t may concern.' I

Be it known that LVALTER lE. Hosen, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, rhave invented a certain new and useful improvement in Combined Yardsticks and Computing Devices, of which the following is a'full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a counter and showing my combined yard stick and computing device attached to said counter. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of one end of my improved device, the same being shown applied vto a counter and with one of the charts ofthe device withdrawn. Fig. 3 is a front eleva'- tional view of a portion of one end of the device. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectiontaken approximately on the line 1 -l of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail -elevational view of a portion of a counter and showing av plate at-. tached thereto, which plate receives one of the studs positioned upon the rear side of the device. Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse section taken approximately on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is an enlarged trans* verse section taken approximately on the line 7--7 of Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view similar to Fig. a 'and showing a modified construction of the'spring roller upon which the chart winds. F ig. 9 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view showing a modified construction wherein the quarter yard point or lug is arranged to move downward into the housing of the device. Fig. 11 is a cross sectional view taken approximately on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10. Fig. 1Q is a front elevational view of a modified construction which is utilized when a certain line of goods is being sold at a fixed price per yard. Fig. 13 is an end view of the device with ythe attachment shown in Fig. 12 applied thereto.

My invention relates to a combined yard stick and computing device adapted to be used on counters or the like for the purpose of readily measuring piece goods and for ascertaining the exact price or cost of each piece of goods sold.

rlhe principal objects of my inventionare: first, to provide a comparatively simple Specification of Letters Patent.. i Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

Serial No. 783,590.

compact device which canv be easily and quickly applied to or'removed from the edge of a counter; vsecond to 'arrange within the device one or more springacjtuated rollers which are adapted to wind flexible sheets bearing on their faces rows of numbers which represent the amounts to be charged for the different lengths of goods sold so that a salesman can very readily and accurately ascertain without mental calculation the price to be charged for a piece of goods at any given price per yard.

With the above and other objects in View, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully .described and claimed. f

As shown in the drawings, the body of my improved 'device is in the Vform of an elongated'casing 10 preferably constructed of sheet metal, exactly thirty-six (36) inches long and approximately an 'inch square in cross section. The casing thus formed is provided with a removable cover plate 11 and appearing on the face thereof and at the rear edge is a scale of inches, the same being properly designated from 1 to 86. Located in the ends of this casing and at the quarter yard points throughout the means of thel scale appearing on top of the.

plate l1.

Fixed to the rear wall of the casing are two or more studs such as 14C lwhich are adapted to be inserted through key-hole openings 15 formed through plates 16, which latter are seated in the front edge of the counter' as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

This construction provides for the ready attachment of the device to the lcounter or the removal therefrom, and which arrangement is desirable when it is desired to quickly shift the combined yard stick and calculating device from one counter to another.

The up er edge of the front wall of the casing is lient inwardly as designated by 17 between the blocks 12 in order to form openings into the housing through which the charts pass winding on to or from the rollers within the housing. This construction also forms a series of elongated pockets or grooves immediately below the front edge of the cover plate 11, and which pockets or grooves are occupied by the stiffening rods or tubes to which the outer ends of the charts are attached. f

Arranged i'n the right hand end of each compartment between the blocks 12 is a rectangular block 1S and formed in the side thereof is a spring pocket 19. A roller 20 occupies the compartment or space between each pair of blocks 12 and the left hand end of each roller is provided with a pin 21, the outer end of which is journaled inthe cori responding one of the blocks 12. Seated in the right hand end of each roller is a screw or pin 22, the outer end of which is journaled in a bearing formed in the center of the corresponding block 18 and attached in any suitable manner to this pin is the inner end of a spiral spring 23, the outer end of which is attached in any suitable manner to the block 18 in which it is seated.

Attached to each roller 20 in any suitable manner is one end of a flexible member 211 on the face of which appear rows of numbers which are properly arranged so as to indicate the cost of a piece of goods at a given price per yard. The outer end of this section of flexible material which forms the chart of my improved device is folded over a small tube 25 and attached in any suitable manner to the center of said tube is a tab 26 of leather or flexible material which may be grasped between the thumb and linger when the chart is pulled out of the casing'. The flexible member is provided adjacent to its side edges with rows of numerals running` from two and one-half (2-.1),to one hundred (100), these numerals being intended to designate the price per yard at which goods are sold. Arranged along the lower or outer edge of the member 211 is a row of indicating characters or numerals which are intended to represent the yards and quarter of yards of goods sold upon the flexible member 24 which rolls upon the roller located in the left hand end of the easing 10. These characters or numerals run from one-eighth (Jg) to three and threef fourths (32) so that this particular fiexible member must be used in ascertaining the cost of any piece of goods containing from oneeighth to and including three and three-v fourths (f) yards of goods.

Located on-the front edge of the cover plate 11 is a seriesof indicating characters or numerals which are the sameas the characters 0r numerals along the lower or outer edge of the member 211, and theseA two sets of characters are, in alinement with each other.`

Appearing on the face of the flexible member 24 are. rows of figures properly located with respect to the rows of figures or characters at the sides of said member and at the lower or outer end thereof and upon the cover plate 11, said rows being for the purpose of accurately indicating the cost of a certain length of goods at a given price per yard; for instance za purchaser buys two and one-fourth (2i) yards of goods at seventynine cents 2(7995) per yard. The salesman engages the tab 26 on the left handV one of the flexible members and pulls the saine outward a sufficient distance to expose the numbers at the sides of said flexibleV member and by ruiming up the column between the indicating numbers 2;(- on the outer edge of the flexiblel member upon the coverv plate 11 notes that the number 1.78 is at theintersection of the column between the indicat# ing numbers 2-1 and the row of numerals between the numbers '70 at the sides of the member, thus indicating that the cost of the piece of goods amounts to $1.78.

The left hand chart occupies the space within the first nine inches at the left hand end of the casing and as heretofore stated this chart is for the purpose of indicating the price of any piece of goods up to three and Jdirec-fourths yards and ranging from two and one-half cents (2g-c) per yard to one dollar ($1.00) per yard. The chart in the space between the nine and eighteen inch indications on the scale contains the proper figures for indicating the cost of a piece of goods from four (4:) to seven and three-fourthsV (7&1) yards at a price V'from two and one-half cents to one dollar ($1.00) per yard, and the chartin the third compartment or. the space betweeny the eighteen (18) and twenty-seven (27) inch indications is adapted to give the price of goods running from eight to eleven' and three-fourths (11%) yards at a cost from two and one-half (2PZ) cents toene dollar ($1.00) per yard. The chart in thev right hand space within the casing or between the twenty-seven and thirty-six inchV indiing spring 23 is partially wound, therebyV storing; power therein, and when the pull upon the tab 2G is relieved, the power stored in this coil spring will rotate the corresponding roller 20 and rewind the fiexible Vmem ber thereupon.

The endl of each chart and thetube 25 in the outer end thereof normally occupies the groove or pockets formed by bending the upper end of the front wall. of the casing inward as designated by 17 and which arrangement is clearly shown in Fig. 6.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown a modified arrangement of the spring for actuating the roller and in this construction an ordinary helical spring 27 is located in a recess in one end of the roller, one end of which spring is fixed to said roller and the opposite end to a stud or trunnion 29, the outer end of which is seated in a block 30 which corresponds with the block 18. This arrangement ,is similar to the ordinary shade curtain roller now in general use.

In l? 10 and 11 I have shown a modilicd arrangement of the lugs 13 and in such construction a comparatively wide block 31 corresponding' to the block 1S is provided and arranged to move vertically in the upper portion of said block is a lug 32 which corresponds to the lug 13. This lug 32 is provided with a stem 33 which extends down- 'wa rd through a suitable bearing in the block 31 and located on said stem beneath the lug is a compression spring 34. This arrangement permits the lugs 32 to move downward whenever a moderately heavy article such as a piece of goods or box is placed on top of the device.

In the modified construction illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13 I have shown an attachment which is adapted to be used with the device where goods are being sold at a given price per yard, as for instance, at a special sale. This construction comprises a flat metal plate 35, the upper and lower edges of which are bent over to form retaining lips 36 and attached in any suitable manner to the ends of this plate are small wire hooks 37 which are adapted to be inserted in the ends of the tube 25. Removably seated on the plate 35 and retained by the lips 36 is a narrow strip of paper or cardboard 33 upon the face of which is printed numbers to indicate the cost of a certain piece of goods at a given price. These strips 38 are interchangeable and are used when all goods in a certain department or at a certain counter are being sold at one price, for instance, at forty-nine cents (49e) per yard. Where such a sale is in progress it is only necessary to attach a set of plates to the tubes 25 of my improved device and locate the proper strips or cards 38 in said plates and the salesman can tell at a glance the cost of any piece of goods at the sale price without the necessity of pulling out one of the charts.

A combined yard stick and computing device of my improved construction is comparatively simple, comprises a minimum number of parts, is very compact, can be easily and quickly applied to or detached from a counter, and provides simple means whereby a salesman can very readily and accurately ascertain without mental calcu lation the cost of a piece of goods running in yards and fractional given price per yard.

A device of my improved construction can be very advantageously utilized for computing the cost or selling price of various commodities other than piece goods, and said device can be also utilized for figuring interest, calculating taxes, and various other' calculations where two factors are known.

It will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved combined yard stick and computing device can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a tubular yard stick, on the. surface of which is formed a scale of inches, and a series of spring pressed lugs seated in the yard stick at predetermined points on the scale thereof, which lugs normally project beyond the face of the yard stick and are adapted to be moved into said yard stick by pressure.

2. In a device of the class described, a tubular yard stick provided on its exterior surface with a scale of inches, blocks fixed within the yard stick at predetermined points therein, there being recesses formed in said blocks, and spring pressed lugs positioned in the recesses in said blocks and normally projecting above the surface of the yard stick.

3. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a tubular yard stick provided on its outer surface with a scale of inches, and a price scale, of blocks xed within the yard stick and located at predetermined points with relation to the scales on said yard stick, a spring actuated roller having bearings in said blocks, a chart attached to and adapted to wind upon said roller, a reinforcing rod carried by the outer parts thereof at any 1;..

end of said chart, there being a slot formed e in the yard stick through which the chart passes during its movement onto and from the roller, a portion of the wall of the yard stick adjacent to said slot being bent inward to form a pocket adapted to receive thereinforcing rod and the outer end of the chart Vwhen the body of the latter is wound onto the roller, and there being rows of numerals on the face of the chart, which numerals bear relation to the price scale and to the scale of inches on said yard stick.

vt. In a device of the class described, an elongated tubular housing provided on its outer surface with a scale of inches and with a price scale, the latter being divided into definite sections of equal length, :t series of spring' actuated rollers mounted for rotation Within said housing,` and arranged end to enel, therefbeing one roller for each seotion of the price scale, a flexible member adapted to Wind onto each roller and to operate through a Slot formeel in the front Wall of the tubular housing, means on the outer end of each of said charts for limiting the Winding movement of the chart onto the roller, and there being rows of numerals on the fece of ea-eh chart which bear relation to the'eorresponding Sections of the price scale and to the scale of inches on the tubular housing.

'In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses, this 4th day of August, 1913.

WALTER E. HOSCH'.

lVitnesses M. P. SMITH, M. A. HANDEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve centseaeh, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

